


True Love's Curse

by ishipthemsogoddamnhard, ohmymads



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Angst and Feels, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Dragon!Hannibal, Eventual Smut, Fairy Tale Curses, Fairy Tale Elements, First Kiss, Hand Jobs, Hannibal Lecter Being an Asshole, Hannibal is kind of The Beast, Huddling For Warmth, Kidnapped Will, Kidnapping, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Outdoor Sex, Resolved Sexual Tension, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, True Love's Kiss, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Will is a Disney prince(ss), Young Will, half Belle/half Jasmine, like very mild, witch!Bedelia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2017-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-31 12:51:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8579275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ishipthemsogoddamnhard/pseuds/ishipthemsogoddamnhard, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmymads/pseuds/ohmymads
Summary: Prince Hannibal was cursed by a witch as a child and there is only one way to break the spell - the kiss of true love. Hannibal thinks he can simply force the young prince Will to love him in order to cure his affliction but along the way he finds that his 'curse' might be true love after all...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A Hannibal fairy tale AU which is essentially a big Disney (and Shrek and Ella Enchanted) mash up
> 
> Rated E for future chapters and tags will be updated as required ;)

Once upon a time over the seven rivers, seven mountains and seven meadows a royal heir was born. The King and Queen called this little miracle William, Will for short, and since the boy was their only child, the day he was born he instantly became the crown prince of the Southern Kingdom. His parents could not contain the joy their baby brought to their lives - not long after his birth the whole land knew about the heir. The boy was healthy and joyful, a little ray of sunshine in the land of eternal summer.

 

Being overprotective of her only child, soon after her son's birth the Queen called a witch from the wilds to aid. She demanded the powerful woman look into Will's future and uncover the secrets awaiting the boy, however what she saw in the witch's magical mirror completely took her by surprise. According to the witch a terrible prophecy was cast upon her child, "One day he will fall in love with a very selfish prince from the North, who is going to care about himself only, and he shall crush William's heart."

 

Determined not to let this happen, the Queen ordered the witch to curse the prince of the North; from now on he would turn into a dragon every single night after midnight until the sun rose, and only the bond of true love could free him. Such a prince could never find true love, the Queen was sure of it. What she did not realise though was that by settling a deal with cunning witch, she would have to owe her a favour. For such ritual as future-telling, the witch requested the Queen's presence in the wilds, wishing for her to become nothing but a faithful servant. Having no other choice but to obey, the Queen gave her last farewell to the baby boy and heartbroken husband before departing for the forest, darker than night itself.

 

When he was just a boy of ten, Prince Hannibal of the North had been cursed. Struck down by fever one afternoon out of the blue, his mother had tried to make him well but that night as the clock struck twelve, he had been transformed into a dragon. Not knowing who or what he was becoming he had attacked his young sister by mistake, scarring her forever. The horrified King and Queen had carried her off and left him alone in the castle. By morning he was himself once more but his family were long gone.

 

Ever since that day Hannibal had become the dragon by night and it had made him grow cold and lonely in his isolation. He stayed away from people, sure they would flee in fear of the monster inside him, and by the time he was eighteen he had decided to set out to find a witch who might help. Hannibal had been days in the magic forest trying to locate her, but eventually the witch, Bedelia had appeared before him in a long, midnight blue robe. She had explained his curse was one that required the kiss of true love to break the spell and Hannibal had returned to the castle in a rage.

 

He seethed for months, his heart hardened to his fate and as the long years passed he became increasingly selfish and sullen. He eventually came to the conclusion he would simply capture someone, seduce them before night fell and force them to love him. The spell would be broken and he would be free to seek revenge on the witch who cast the curse…

 

*

 

As luck would have it there came a day when news reached the castle of a young Prince in the South who had come of age and a ball was to be held to find him someone to marry. It was Prince Will's twentieth birthday and for such an important occasion the King decided to throw an enormous ball, inviting all the princes and princesses from all the land, in the hope that this might motivate the young heir to choose a partner. William obviously did not share his father's train of thought as he was not ready to marry whatsoever; he preferred hunting and fishing and fencing rather than dancing and bowing to strangers. Nonetheless, he was a good boy and promised his father to attend the ball and try his best to find himself a suitable match.

 

Prince Hannibal had begun preparing for the journey and set out on his large, black horse the very next day after hearing the news of the ball. It would take him almost a week to reach the Southern palace by the shore – and he was hoping to catch Prince Will alone before the event. Hannibal had asked more of the witch Bedelia, and found out that Will was kind and generous, brave and caring….and exceptionally fair. There would be many seeking his hand in marriage, not least because marrying into the royal family of the South would be the highest honour.

Hannibal was not deterred however, in fact he was positive if he could be alone with Will he could succeed in his quest. He was so convinced of this because he had no intention of marrying the young prince. Hannibal planned to charm and seduce him - kidnap him if he had to - force the man to love him and get the kiss that would ensure his curse was broken.

Prince Hannibal had arrived at the edge of the woods that surrounded the Southern palace, and could see from his position at the top of the valley that the palace gardens and grounds were surrounded, separated from this, wilder forest by a high stone wall. He decided to stop for a while in the forest to let his horse drink from the stream, since the ball didn't properly start until later that day. He sat down under a large willow tree as his horse drank and rested nearby, and turned his face up to the sun, so seldom shining this brightly in the North. This place really was beautiful.

 

*

 

"Remember, William, this is the crucial evening when you are to choose your future partner. Choose carefully as you need someone intelligent by your side, someone both respectable and respectful and mainly someone who will help you decide on the future of your Kingdom." The words of the main royal advisor were entering Will's head on one side and soon departing on the other. The young man kept nodding to make his tutor feel important, however if he had been asked what the old man was talking about, Will wouldn't be able to repeat a single thing.

 

His eyes were focused on the window in front of him and more importantly, what lay behind it. Stables with the finest horses the Southern kingdom had to offer; horses that he could ride and escape from his duties and responsibilities. Will sighed and turned his head when he was tapped at by the advisor, "Your Highness, is that understood? You seem to be very distracted..."

 

' _I don't give a damn about any of it_ ’ the young heir thought and yet he smiled in return and straightened his back before providing a diplomatic answer, "Absolutely, I understood everything and value your words."

 

As the ball was expected to be a several-days long event, Will decided he would attend only occasionally. He certainly didn't wish to spend too much time there, nervous about the people who were gathering in the main hall in order to meet him and charm him. A knock on the door released him from this torture, as a maid entered the room to ask His Royal Highness to get changed for the ball. Will was more than glad to obey and followed the little lady back to his chambers where he received the clothes he was supposed to wear for tonight - emerald green combined with gold; two colours representing his family.

 

His servant made sure he was ready to go downstairs before releasing him and once Prince William left the room, he took a deep breath as he began descending the stairs. People from the North, South and all the parts of the land were invited to this ball, all of them single and ready to compete for his hand. Will stopped in front of the main hall, rubbed his hands nervously, panicked and ran out of the castle to the nearby gardens. Taking a deep breath, William leaned against the stone wall, trying to calm down. He ran a hand through his curly hair, closed his eyes and imagined being on the other side of the world, alone when he saw that he was in fact not…

 

Prince Hannibal must have dozed off for a short while as the next thing he knew he was being awoken by a gentle voice and opened his eyes to see a stunning young man, with big blue eyes the colour of the seas after a storm and tousled chestnut curls like a halo around his beautiful face. He looked at Hannibal a little cautiously.

 

"I'm truly sorry to wake you, sir, but you'll catch a cold if you lay here any longer. We happen to be at the Southern kingdom, however the nights are rather chilly," William stepped back, a little awkward now that he was sure the stranger was fully awake, "Not to mention the ball that will start in few minutes and I presume you intend to attend…judging by your choice of wear," He muttered in regards to the blue and black tunic Hannibal was wearing and the way his horse was decorated as well. Cold colours. Northern. Will didn't say a word but his heart started pounding faster in his chest – he had heard couple of stories about the Prince living in the Northern kingdom, a cold man who would bow to no one.

 

Prince Hannibal wondered if he was dreaming but the chill of the early evening breeze on his skin felt far too real for that to be true. Still the boy in front of him could only be Will, the young Prince. His beauty was famed across the entirety of their lands and his attire was that of royalty. Hannibal got to his feet and surveyed Will's nervous face, the stories had not even done him justice.

 

The young prince rubbed at his neck nervously and cleared his throat before continuing, "Well... let me not disturb your peace, sir. I have a ball to attend."

 

Finally remembering himself and his plan he inclined his head respectfully with a flourish of his hand. "Your highness..." He purred, "Prince Hannibal, of the Northern kingdom. I am honoured to make your acquaintance." He introduced himself with his best charming smile, fixing his eyes on the young Prince's and noting his blush.

 

"I...umm, how did you know it was me?" It was a stupid question to ask, however Will needed this time to recollect his thoughts and his breath as when the man in front of him smiled, the young prince almost shivered. The blush was obvious, pink tinting his cheeks as he nodded very briefly, "Well, thank...thank you, Prince Hannibal, it's a pleasure to meet you and please accept my gratitude for traveling this far to attend the ball."

 

' _I hope you'll stay for more than that_ ' was the thought William almost let out of his mouth but to prevent himself from saying it, he bit down on his tongue and joined both arms behind his back in seemingly relaxed posture.

 

Hannibal took a small step toward the young man and tilted his head, noting how the Prince reacted to his presence almost unconsciously. His plan seemed to be playing itself out without much help at all. "The pleasure is all mine...I find this place to be very beautiful." He looking meaningfully at Prince Will as he said this. Hannibal thought he really was stunning, though his eyes seemed sad. "Forgive me, but you seem unhappy about this ball, despite the event being in your honour." Hannibal probed him about his troubles.

 

"I am...I feel like I'm being offered as a prize at this pompous feast. I don't like the attention and today everyone will try to speak to me, to charm and seduce me, to claim my hand in marriage. I know some of them may have come in earnest and that they truly want to marry me perhaps, but I don't know any of them…I don't even know you and here you are." Will looked at his feet, "My parents married for love and I'm being forced to decide here and now. It just doesn't seem fair." He added then as his blue eyes looked back up to the other Prince.

 

"No...it doesn't.” Hannibal agreed softly as he gazed into Will's eyes, drawing him in. He knew he could easily manipulate this shy boy into doing as he wanted and that _didn't_ seem fair really, but he did not care at all. He cared only for himself and freeing his life of this curse. He took another small step towards Will, watching as the boy swallowed hard.

 

"You are right though...perhaps amongst them is somebody you could love?" Hannibal continued with a twitch of his eyebrow. "I'm sure anyone would be lucky to have one as fair as you to adore." He curled his lips into a dangerous smile as he gave this stark compliment.

 

"I...I hope so.” Will stammered, taken aback by this boldness, “I don't want to be sold off to someone who doesn't care about me, as pathetic as that may sound, I want to be happy with someone.” Will turned his head as he heard the large gate opening behind him.

 

"Prince William?! Are you there? Everyone is looking for you, you must return to the ball and be presented!" The King’s advisor appeared frantically at the gap in the wall.

 

Will rolled his eyes and sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck awkwardly, "Right...well…duty calls hmm? I'll see you at the ball then, Prince Hannibal. Have a pleasant evening," He bowed his head to Hannibal before turning on his heels and returning to the castle to greet all of the people who would try and get his heart. Little did he know, the mysterious stranger was one of them. Hannibal simply smiled politely, impassively and watched Will be led through the gate and into the grounds of the palace.

 

"Oh I shall have a pleasant evening indeed." Hannibal said softly into the quiet of the forest when they were gone. He tied his black horse there, and set off in the direction of the main palace gates. He worked out his best plan was to play along. Hannibal would attend the ball, continue to flirt with Prince Will and then somehow get him alone. Then he would steal him away into the night…

 

One person after another; Will was constantly meeting new people and being introduced to them as well. Many of the females wished to dance with him and the males were inviting him for a drink. No sign for Prince from the North yet. William tried to be as polite as possible to everyone, accepting some of the drinks and dancing with few princesses. When this all was getting too overwhelming, he silently moved to the wall and leaned against it. He couldn't quite grasp that these people were here to compete for the Southern throne - half of them didn't even know Will existed before the ball was announced.

 

The young prince sighed and moved to the table where staff were serving water, as he felt he already had enough of alcohol. Pouring himself a glass of water, despite their protests to help, he finally spotted the Northern Prince, as striking and majestic as he had been in the garden when they first met. Will couldn't help but smile a little, maybe the first genuine smile all evening.

 

Prince Hannibal saw those big blue eyes trained on him and had to catch himself from just openly beaming at the young Prince. He glowed resplendent in the crowd and Hannibal beckoned him over. Prince Will made his way to him, where was observing the ball at the large terrace doors to and Hannibal respectfully bowed his head.

 

"It is a delight to see you again, Will." Hannibal spoke soft and low, working hard to charm him. "You look like you could do with a break away from all of this." He waved his hand at the merry guests, seeing the jaded look on Will's pretty face, and gave him his most devilish smile.

 

"I must seem like a coward to all these people, but none of them really caught my interest.” Will couldn’t quite meet Hannibal’s eye when he said this, “I just don't feel like spending unnecessary time with them when I know their only interest is to marry me. Most of them don't even want to know me, they specifically said I should pick them so that our kingdoms may be united. Isn't that just a charming way to ask for someone's hand in marriage?" A bitter smile crossed Will's lips and he shook his head in despair.

 

"Father has put so much effort into this ball and I don't want to disappoint him by not picking anyone," Will looked around himself one more time, as if hoping that this glance would reveal a worthy partner to him. With a sigh he turned his attention to Hannibal and offered him a defeated smile, "I'm sorry you have travelled so far to meet with a conflicted man like me. This is no way to treat such an honourable guest from the North." Will looked away embarrassed.

 

Hannibal smiled mildly back at the young prince as he turned to face him, he had always been very good at reading people and his curse only made him more scrutinising of people's feelings and intentions. It was how he manipulated people so easily, even as a child before the curse was cast he had been incredibly persuasive when he wanted to be. He decided to cut to the heart of the issue.

 

"You feel disappointed by him though, do you not? Disappointed that he is making you do this when you so obviously don't wish for it? You feel abandoned? Betrayed?" Hannibal was gratified when Will looked up into his eyes, amazed at how right he was, and nodded. Spurred on by his successful insight he lowered his tone to one of intimacy. "As for me...I certainly do not feel I have come here in vain. Indeed I would be honoured if you would accompany me on a walk in the gardens." Hannibal painted his false smile on his face and walked out of the open floor-length doors, hoping Will would follow.

 

Will stood there for a moment, stuck in one place not quite sure whether this was a good idea or not. He bit on his lower lip and looked to the side, his father was watching him from a distance and he nodded at Will encouragingly once he caught his son's gaze. The prince shivered as the night air rippled but headed out of the room to the patio. What Hannibal's plan was, Will didn't know but he was willing to follow and find out.

 

"It's a wonderful night at least, a little chilly for my taste, but wonderful. You can see all the stars if you know what to look for…” Will hummed with a smile on his lips as he finally caught up with Hannibal and stood by his side, his wide blue eyes focusing on the night sky. Hannibal studied the young prince's profile as his gaze roamed the dark heavens and had to catch himself yet again, struck as he was by Will's beauty. He couldn't get distracted from his plan, so he started to stroll further down the vast gardens as they sloped gently down from the palace toward the wall and the woods and shore beyond. Thankfully Will followed.

 

"In the northern land it tends to be cold and clear most nights and so you can always watch the stars." Hannibal mused as they walked. Carefully and subtly he was steering Prince Will towards the bottom of the palace grounds and the gate.

 

"I cannot even imagine how cold it must be up there where you live...I bet I would catch a flu the moment I got out of the carriage." Will followed Hannibal around the garden, however he got the sense they were approaching the Eastern gate that lead to the dark forest. Will slowed down and stopped completely after few moments, forming an uncertain smile on his face, "Prince Hannibal, forgive me but I should go back to the ball...I am certain my father is already looking for me and I wouldn't want to anger him." Will explained and stretched out his hand to squeeze at Hannibal's shoulder ever so softly, "Thank you for a lovely walk. I hope to see you back inside soon."

 

Hannibal felt the cold monster within him awaken and panicked, there wasn't a lot of time before he changed and he had to act on his plan. In one swift movement he slipped a hand around Will's waist and grabbed the young prince close to him, clamping his other hand over his mouth, "Don't scream...come away with me, from all of this, my horse is waiting just outside that wall." He growled seductively in his ear confident that nobody would notice much as they stood in the shadow of a giant oak tree.

 

A flash of terror ran through the Will as he was taken by complete surprise. His body stiffened and he let out a shaking breath, trying ever so hard to think of what to do. A tiny part of him wanted to go but he didn’t know this man and something about him said ‘danger’. Will wanted to scream, scream his lungs out and get away, however being smaller and thinner all William managed to do was to stamp on his kidnapper's foot and hope that would at least distract him.

 

Hannibal winced at the pain in his foot but he was strong and although they struggled, he regained his hold on the young Prince. He stared hard into Will's eyes over the top of his hand where it was pressed firmly over his lips. He couldn’t afford to attract attention.

 

"Shhhh...don't fight me or it will be much worse." Hannibal held Will's wide blue gaze with this promise in his dark eyes, until the boy's courage relented. Trusting the submission he saw, Hannibal dropped his hand away. There was a strange energy that ran between them in that silent moment, until Hannibal dragged Will out through the gate, breaking the tension. They mounted his horse, gleaming black in the moonlight and were gone, the noise of the ball fading behind them.

 

"Why are you doing this? What is it that you're after? I don't have money, not unless I become king, so I'm completely useless…" Will whined as he sat in front of Hannibal. He wriggled and then sighed, squeezing at the saddle more so he wouldn't fall and break his neck at least, "...and here I thought you really cared about me. Just goes to show you’re the same selfish bastard as the others..." he muttered through his teeth and closed his eyes in disappointment.

 

Hannibal didn't say anything until they arrived at a large clearing that parted the trees and he hastily dropped from his horse. He pulled Will down with him and, gripping him firmly by the arms, turned him to look in the eyes, "I do care." Hannibal lied smoothly, "You despised what was happening to you and I didn't want any of those peasants to have you." He grinned cat-like down at the young prince and that tension seemed to fall like a haze over them once again. They were so deep in the silent forest that Hannibal could hear the boy breathing fast as he studied his pretty lips…

 

"So what you’re saying…is that you did this to protect me from the liars? That you...truly care about me? That you want me?" Will wondered. Foolish as he was at this young age, and after a sheltered life of pampering, Will blindly believed everything Hannibal said. It all sounded so simple and easy in his naive heart. True love. Something his parents had before he lost his mother in a tragic accident. At least this was what he had been told. Will's pulse was racing, he could feel his whole body heating and he swore Hannibal must be aware of all of this. William's eyes dropped to the older prince’s lips, the fascinating shape they held, as he softly parted his own wondering what they would feel like…

 

Spending no more time with wondering, Will stood on his tiptoes and joined their lips in a shy kiss.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will is falling under Hannibal's spell, but not quite according to plan...

Hannibal froze for a moment as Will's lips met his but his desire to have the curse lifted was so strong that he allowed it and softened a little. His heart pounded and just as suddenly as it happened it was over. Will broke away and gazed shyly up at him but Hannibal thought only of how he might know whether the spell was broken now or not and looked away. He supposed it must have worked as he felt noticeably calmer than he usually did at this hour - what time actually was it, he wondered - and gathered rope from his knapsack to bind Will without any more consideration.

The boy look utterly crestfallen as Prince Hannibal took him into the cave and restrained him at the wrists and ankles, but Hannibal felt little, unaccustomed to human companionship and emotion as he was. Hannibal planned to make a fire at the mouth of the cave for the night and he moved outside in order to begin collecting wood. He turned to warn Will not to try and escape but as he took a breath to speak he felt it run through him like a fever. Right in the clearing, in full view of his young prisoner, he transformed into a great red dragon, twenty feet high with crimson eyes and rough, slate black scales running down along his back to the tip of his pointed tail. The beast stared into Will's horrified face for a second before spreading his blood-coloured wings and disappearing into the night.

Hannibal was used to this feeling after twenty years of going through it every night, but it was like living with chronic pain where you simply became numb to your own suffering. He mostly knew himself while in dragon form now, having learned to find the threads of thought that were his own and untangle them from the rest, but he was always buried deep in the dragon's simpler mind. His senses were dulled in some ways and heightened in others, and his emotions were limited.

Hannibal hated it.

He despised his monstrous ways and his inability to communicate, his terrifying appearance and his total isolation. He would never admit this to anyone and it was dubious if he even really understood how bad he felt. All Hannibal was sure of was that it was easier to be alone, to be selfish, to push people away than to risk being shunned. He would shun himself thank you very much.

He flew up near the top of the valley and settled himself on a soft patch of grass, his animal body unaffected by the chill of sleeping outside. As he folded into himself sullenly, the part of his mind that was still Hannibal wondered distantly if Will would still be there and be ok in the morning. Nothing to be done now but wait.

*

Dragon. Hannibal was a dragon. A real dragon. Will didn't know what feelings should he focus on first - should he feel terrified upon seeing a dangerous beast? Should he feel hurt because Hannibal restrained his movement as if he too was some sort of animal? The young prince sat there in silence for a long while, staring in front of himself. He eventually let out a shocked breath as if the situation just hit him and he started wiggling for dear life to get some of those ropes to loosen. He wasn't strong enough, Hannibal clearly knew what he was doing and made sure Will wouldn't be able to free himself. Despair hit the boy like a slap in his face and he let out a silent whimper. "Someone please... please help me." He whispered into the darkness and started shaking as tears flooded his eyes. His life was in the hands - claws - of a dragon and it didn't look like he would live for much longer.

William spent the following hours rolling in the dirt, trying to find anything that would be sharp enough to cut the rope, without success. Eventually he dragged his exhausted body to the nearest wall and, leaning against it, he fell asleep. 

Will's eyes opened again the following morning and suddenly everything around him was bright. He could see exactly how far from the entrance he was if he could just cut the rope with something sharp. He quickly scanned the cave, panic settling in yet again, and during his desperate search he finally found a promisingly looking rock not very far from him.

Prince Will dragged himself to the stone to begin his escape. He gritted his teeth as he rubbed his arms against the rock, feeling the rope burying more deep into his flesh rather than loosening. He cursed out loud and continued in this slow torture until finally the rope loosened enough for him to get his hands out of it. Will whined pitifully upon seeing his bloody hands but didn't hesitate a second to get out of that cave. He untangled himself and sprung up as quickly as an arrow, but in that moment he heard footsteps coming from the entrance. In pathetic gesture, Will rose both hands close to his body as if to shield himself, "N-no...please...I...I won't tell anyone your secret...I won't tell them who took me, just let me go...please. I want to go home." 

Prince Hannibal stood over the boy, who was cowering in fear, and felt a twinge of unfamiliar guilt in his gut. He really hadn't meant to scare Will _this_ much, he was truly planning to hide his dragon side from the young prince if he could. Hannibal sighed. On top of everything else, it was clear the kiss had not lifted the curse. "Good morning, Will." Hannibal cleared his throat. "I apologise for frightening you and for leaving you here, it was very rude. I lost track of the time you see..." He said curtly but a little embarrassed. He didn't meet Will's wary eyes and turned to light a fire, chilly in the morning sun and hungry. Hannibal had caught a rabbit while in dragon form and planned to cook it before they headed back to the North. It was apparent he was fairly oblivious to how awful he had treated the boy, and how scared he would of course be.

Will frowned at Hannibal’s back and went on with the questions from last night, hoping he'd get at least some sort of an answer from the cold prince. He could feel literal cold coming from Hannibal's clothes as though he'd spent the whole night outside.. "Why are you doing this? What do you need me for? Money? Is that what you're after? My father will give you money...just let me go. I never wanted this...I mean, why me?" Will rubbed his eyes so that the other wouldn't see him cry, he wouldn't give Hannibal the satisfaction.

Hannibal turned back and met the young prince's baleful glare. This would never do if he wanted to use him to break this curse, so he closed the gap between them a little and lifted Will's chin to look at him. The boy pulled his face away but Hannibal did it again and held him firmer this time. "I saw something in you, Will, that's why..." He said in his most sickeningly charming voice. "I see you. I see you were fading there and I wanted to help you...take you away from all that." He smiled dangerously, carefully leaving out the fact that really it was Will who was to help _him_.

"Help me by abducting me? By forcing me here, binding me and then abandoning me? Hannibal...what is this game you're playing?" Will's voice lowered to nothing but a whisper, although he held the older man's gaze bravely despite the fear rooted deep inside him. "You say I was fading away and you think that scaring me to death and dragging me lord-knows-where will help me?" His expression was incredulous and he finally looked down on both his wrists, alabaster skin covered in dried blood on several places. 

Hannibal followed Will's eyes down to his abused wrists and wondered if perhaps he _had_ gone too far. "This is far from a game," He finally sighed, preparing to tell someone about himself for the first time ever. "I am cursed you see...cursed to become that monster every night and nothing will break the spell. Nothing but true love's kiss. I had thought..." Hannibal swallowed hard and trailed off. He could neither fully explain his wicked plan, nor the flash of what might have been a true emotion he had felt before. He held Will's sore wrists gently and looked into his big blue eyes, pressing close. "I had thought that maybe you might be the person to lift the curse." He crashed his mouth to Will's once more, a little forcibly this time.

Will closed his eyes and for a brief moment truly wished he could call this love, however the demanding nature of Hannibal's kiss made him feel it was all turned upside down. The young prince cocked his head back to create a gap between their lips once more. "I don't love you...I'm very sorry, Hannibal, but all I feel is pity for you. I cannot even imagine what sort of pain it must be to turn into a dragon every night.” Will’s natural empathy could not be suppressed. “Should you need my assistance, in exchange for my freedom of course, I'd be happy to help you find your love." He said with all the kindness that was left in him, truly meaning his words. 

Hannibal's face softened but his eyes remained unreadable. He released Will except for the loose hold he kept on his bloody wrists. "I am truly sorry, Will, I acted impulsively and it was foolish." He enthused emphatically and closed his eyes to add to the effect. "I really thought...I was sure you were the one." He said sadly. He clutched at Will's hands for a second and then dropped them, taking a step away to stalk around the mouth of the cave, the picture of a man tormented.

"You do not have to help me...I don't deserve it." Hannibal looked around him as he paced the stone floor. "I will simply go alone in search of the witch, Bedelia, to guide my quest..." He looked at Will and held his breath, waiting to see if he would take the bait.

Will shivered when he suddenly lost the contact with Hannibal's warmth, however he slowly walked towards the other. "I _want_ to help you. Everyone deserves to find their true love, you above everybody else because of your curse. You shouldn't be punished for the rest of your life, especially since such a simple thing can redeem you. I will help you find this person and perhaps give you one or two lessons on how to treat them…” He smirked. “...then once your curse is broken, I'll go back home and you will let me." Will said as firmly as he could, lifting his hand to rest atop Hannibal's shoulder. He knew he ought to be cautious with this man after he witnessed what he could do. 

Hannibal nodded politely. "Of course. Thank you, Will, that is remarkably kind of you. Hardly surprising that I saw such good in you." He hid his smug smile from the young prince, triumphant in knowing he had gotten him agree to go with him willingly. "Come, I have food for us before we set off. Our journey may be long." Hannibal headed outside to finish preparing the fire and when Will followed, he was surprised how much this company warmed him along with the flames.

*

"So this thing, you being a dragon, how does that work? Do you know what you're doing? I mean, can you think in this form or do you lose all the control and let the beast do the rest?" Will borrowed one of the blankets Hannibal brought with him and snuggled in it as he sat close to the fire. He sat closer to the other man too as if to absorb his heat. "I cannot even imagine what that must feel like, to be a dragon...to me it looks both amazing and terrifying at the same time. Don't get me wrong, you're a very...impressive dragon." Will rambled and blushed, closing his mouth as he believed that was for the best now. 

Hannibal inclined his head politely but his lips pressed tightly together. "I despise it." Hannibal admitted. "I cannot think or control myself completely, only some. It's rather like being intoxicated with far too much wine. I have learned to keep hold of myself more over time..." He allowed a small smile but then his mind wandered as it always did when on the subject, to Mischa. Hannibal’s brow furrowed in regret as he cut meat from the roasted animal and handed it to Will. "It wasn't always the case." He stated with sorrow, his expression making it clear he wasn't going to explain further and for the next few minutes they ate in silence.

"I'm sorry that this happened to you. I know that my sympathy won't help you at all, but I offer it anyway," Prince Will said quietly when he got the message that his partner wouldn't elaborate on the topic.  
He focused on his meat and devoured it quickly, having realised he was starving. It was a feeling he'd never felt before in his life. Will tilted his head to the side and savoured the last remaining bits of rabbit melting on his tongue. "Where are we heading?" Will asked with a nervous undertone.

Hannibal smiled at the boy, a little strained but oddly grateful for his trying to understand, although he didn't take well to having people feel sorry for him. He was however, pleased that Will asking questions meant he really didn't seem resistant to coming with him. "We must head back north and into the forest there. The witch, Bedelia, is known to be found there. I have encountered her once before, although she isn't always easy to locate." Hannibal explained, internally anxious that at any time, Prince Will may change his mind about accompanying him on the quest.

The sun was rising higher all the time, it would be another beautiful day in the Southern kingdom, and Hannibal pondered if he wasn't perhaps a little reluctant to return to the moody skies and rain of the North. "I am going to the stream, it is only on the other side of these caves, to wash. I always feel somewhat...unclean after I have been beast and not man. You may join me if you wish..." Hannibal added hesitantly.

Will blinked in surprise and lowered his eyes to the ground upon the thought of seeing the other man half-naked, or completely naked. He bit on his lower lip and with his thumb traced the grazes on his wrists that could surely use some rinsing off, not to mention the fact that he was used to having baths every single day. "I'd like that. I need to get the blood off of my hands and wash my face to freshen up." He mused. "I cannot go on like this when my hands are all sticky and dirty, it just doesn't go well with my..." Will realised he would most likely have to change his clothes somewhere on the way as traveling in a formal tunic wasn't the cleverest of ideas. "Hmm, can we perhaps get some clean clothes somewhere? In a tavern?" He suggested.

Hannibal smiled indulgently at the pink flush that spread over Will's face. "Good idea, we will stop to get clothes at the first inn we happen upon." He agreed and they started to walk towards the stream. The sound of trickling grew louder and the light glinting off the surface was sparkling now that the sun had fully risen high into the summer sky. Hannibal stripped off his clothes without hesitation and submerged himself in the cool water. He could feel Will's eyes on him but kept himself controlled. He called over to the boy. "Do not worry, Will, you have my word I will turn away and preserve your modesty if you prefer." Hannibal swam away a fraction facing the opposite bank and smirked to himself.

Will didn't even have the time to reply to the other as he was already gone. The shock from seeing Hannibal's naked body still prevailed and Will found his face hot even as he was unbuttoning his shirt. What was going on with him? Such behaviour was both ridiculous and inappropriate. Finally the young prince exposed his sun-kissed skin to the welcoming warmth and after bit of struggling with his belt, he stripped himself completely before getting into water. A shiver ran down his spine at the cool temperature, but he slowly lowered his torso below the waterline and started washing his wrists. 

Hannibal heard the water disturbed by Will entering and came back to him. "I appreciate this." He said a little primly, he wasn't used to people being kind to him, and he wanted to ensure to keep Will on the path to doing as he wanted. "You accompanying me, I mean" He leaned back and pushed water through his sandy-blonde hair, eyes to the perfectly clear sky. The boy's lightly tanned shoulder peeking out from the glittering surface of the stream was bizarrely distracting and Prince Hannibal wanted to look at something else. Hannibal had never been shy, never had any reason to be, as alone as he was, and he got out, sitting in the sun to dry on the gently sloped, grassy banks and squinting down at Will in the brightness.

Will couldn't contain his curiosity and so he ended up staring at Hannibal most of the time. He marveled at the other's muscular body and how it tensed at every move, he found himself wanting to run his fingers through the soft chest hair, tracing the line of the ribs with his lips. He had to dunk his head under water to get rid of these thoughts. Once he was thoroughly cleansed he slowly returned to the surface, where he put on some underwear to be at least slightly covered. He half-smiled as he approached Hannibal and sat next to him, both hands resting on his knees. "You're welcome...I hope my company won't be too much of a bother." 

Hannibal was almost resentful of the way his eyes were drawn to the young prince as he emerged from the stream and came to him, a little shy and awkward but beautiful. Hannibal made a show of holding a hand up to the sun as if he was dazzled by the sunlight, but his eyes were surreptitiously following the line of Will's neck where it joined his lightly tanned shoulder. His damp curls clung to the skin and water dripped down his young, slim body. Prince Hannibal was thoroughly unfamiliar with the desire to regard anyone in this way and broke his stare, cowed at his lack of discretion. "Of course not." Hannibal cleared his throat. "I _had_ intended for you to come away with me...even if it was in a somewhat different capacity." Hannibal gave the boy a wry sideways grin.

"I just can't believe it. This is all so peculiar, the way this happened. You came all the way to the South hoping I'd be the one who breaks your curse? You risked everything, betting your future on this one chance?" Will said. Hearing it out loud like that it sounded incredibly flattering and Will realised he was blushing again. Hannibal had hoped he would be the one for him, crossing such an enormous distance to get to him and here Will was, offering nothing but rejection. He felt a little guilty for what he had told the man earlier in the cave. "I must admit your ways are rather barbaric...I'm not used to that one bit, however your intention is noble and I think that over time I might...if we don't find you anyone else..." Will started stuttering and sighed in frustration, unable to articulate his muddled feelings, before he simply laid his hand over Hannibal's. "Don't give up just yet, Hannibal."

Hannibal was quietly pleased that the young prince was clearly succumbing to his manipulations in this way but he would never show it. He realised, to his surprise, that he was actually smiling fondly at Will and he tried to school his expression back into something a bit less pathetic, hoping the boy wouldn't have noticed. His hand tingled where Will was touching him and it made his breathing feel strained in a way he was entirely uncomfortable with. He had to keep Will at arms length and remind himself he needed him only to break the spell. "When I set my mind to something, I am accustomed to achieving it." Hannibal said vaguely and gently pulled his hand away, rising to dress. "We should head off soon and then perhaps we could be at the witch's part of the woods by nightfall." He didn't look at Will anymore, to avoid the way his chest tightened at seeing the pity in his eyes.

"Yes, yes of course...forgive me for keeping you from your task," William blurted out and retracted his hand so fast he hit his thigh in the process. After getting up he quickly got dressed in his formal royal attire and critically regarded his tunic."Umm...we will stop at that tavern to get me new clothes, won’t we? I honestly don't want to travel through forests at night like a shining trophy ready to be stolen again...one kidnapping for the day is enough." He joked as he joined Hannibal, who nodded and climbed on the back of his horse, patting the animal’s neck once he was there. Although he hated to admit it to himself, he was growing fond of Hannibal, much faster than he should have and definitely more easily than the man deserved. 

Hannibal smiled, giving nothing away as Will mounted the horse in front of him. "You need not keep apologising, Will, your help is appreciated." Hannibal laid a hand on the boy’s hip absent-mindedly, automatically almost, as he nudged the horse on ."Although you are right that you may be a little conspicuous, after all, they may be looking for you..." Hannibal said though he appeared unconcerned. He was surprised at how the warmth of the young prince's body bled into his. It was actually quite pleasant but he had neither the time nor the inclination to think about that feeling.

They rode through the forest to the edge furthest away from the palace, where the trees thinned and a small road cut along beside their line. After some time they came to a small inn with white walls and dark wooden shutters on the windows. Hannibal pulled up the horse when it was still a way off. He dismounted and Will moved to do the same but he stopped him, eyes softer than they had been. "If I ask you to wait here, will you still be waiting when I return? I fear you may be recognised..." Hannibal put the kindest expression he could manage on his face.

"Yes, of course.. You go ahead and I'll be right here, well maybe few metres away if the horse decides to move, but I'll be here." Will didn't even consider the thought of fleeing. He was keen to receive new clothes as the ones he was wearing certainly weren't designed to last through the freezing cold of the North. "Please try and take a coat for me? Otherwise I'll freeze the further we get from here." Will smiled at Hannibal, genuinely surprised by the Prince's kindness he was suddenly showing. It made him feel all warm inside and he was sure he started blushing yet again. It was difficult for him to say why, but he grew more warm towards the man every minute they spent together. "Hurry, I don't want to stay here for too long...as you said, someone might recognise me and think it'd be a good idea to bring me back home for a price." Will said darkly.

Prince Hannibal didn't really notice Will's fond expression, but he caught the faint pink on his cheeks and smiled smugly to himself as he strode along the road to the inn. The plan was working.

Hannibal entered and the serving girl was only too happy to bring him the clothes he asked for, blushing herself and insisting on giving him some food and water for his journey too. On his way out, he passed a man who was drunk already at this early point in the day and silent, deadly and unseen, he slipped the large brown travelling cloak from the back of his chair.

Hannibal emerged from the doorway of the inn and was actually a little surprised to find Will really was still waiting for him, and even more surprising was how relieved he felt at seeing him there. He put it down to relief that his horse had not been stolen and dismissed it, presenting Will with his hoard, cloak first. "I trust this might be useful to you." Hannibal smiled, proud of his skilled thievery. "Glad to see nobody has kidnapped you, Will....well, nobody else that is." He found this attempt at humour had escaped him before he could think about how out of character it was for him to even want to make jokes at all.

"I would've fought them. Don't worry, you're the only one who's allowed to kidnap me for now." William slowly got off the horse and accepted the little package of clothing that was given to him. He couldn't be more grateful, finally something he wouldn't look like a glowing lantern in. The young prince started unbuttoning his glistening tunic and once that was done, he took it off and slipped on a simple white shirt without any unnecessary decorations. It felt strange against his skin, which had practically never been touched by anything but silk.

"Thank you, for the cloak especially. I know you're used to the cold but it could be my downfall later on," Will murmured once he was in the dull process of changing his trousers as well as the shoes and finally the cloak. He threw the thing over his shoulders and sagged in the knees a bit, surprised by the heaviness, "Wow, you people from the North are used to heavy clothing aren't you?" Will snickered.

"Perhaps Southerners are just not very strong." Hannibal raised an arch eyebrow as he mounted the horse once more, ignoring the petulant face Will pulled at him. This easy rapport was so foreign to Hannibal and he chastised himself for encouraging it. He had to remember he only needed Will for one thing, to break the spell, and nothing more. He doesn't even want you anyway, Prince Hannibal's brain reminded him unhelpfully, and the smile slipped from his mouth at this cruel thought. The young Prince got back on the horse with him and they moved off again in silence.

*

They rode for most of the day, the conversation a little stilted now and mostly superficial. As the sun was beginning to look heavy and low in the sky, Hannibal suggested they stop to make camp and eat and Will readily agreed. "We are nearing the witch's part of the forest, can you feel it?" Hannibal pointed out. No sooner had the words left his mouth there was a dark, glittering crackle between two large trees. As the iridescent smoke cleared, there she stood. The witch, Bedelia, casually leaning against one of the trunks. Her midnight blue robes that flowed right to the ground had the same supernatural shimmer as the smoke that her appearance she created. She glanced uninterested at Will and then addressed Hannibal as though it had not been almost 12 years since they last spoke.

"I was wondering when you would appear." She said knowingly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our princes continue on their quest but in order to stay warm...things might get a little hot ;)

They stood there for what felt like hours. Will was naturally terrified of the witch, as her magic had to do with things he didn't understand, and he stepped back behind Hannibal in a way that he hoped didn't look too cowardly. He stared at the woman in her long dress and even though he found her beautiful, he was still on his guard. "Good day to you." Will managed to say, which clearly amused the female as her lips pulled into a small smile. He blushed at this and ran a hand through his hair. It was not his place nor duty to speak, he was not the one needing aid after all, but he refused to leave now they were so close to their goal. Will was curious to find out what the witch had to say about Hannibal's curse and breaking it.

Bedelia did not acknowledge Will directly, although she did not appear to be surprised to see him. "I was going to ask if this was your true love, Hannibal." She eyed them both with a bored demeanour. "However...I suppose you wouldn't be here if the spell was already broken." She smirked.

Hannibal didn't have a lot of patience for her presumptions, and it needled him that she was in fact correct. "I suppose you know _all things_ , don't you?" Hannibal rolled his eyes a little. "This is my...Prince Will. He has agreed to help me have your wretched curse lifted." Hannibal said sullenly as he gestured at the boy.

Will would have said something but he felt like it would be inappropriate given this conflict was only between Hannibal and Bedelia. That didn't stop the swirl of thoughts that had been occupying his head ever since they were both bathing in the lake - what if he could love Hannibal? What if he was only trying to persuade himself into not loving him because he was angry about the way Hannibal acted? The realisation hit him hard across the face like a slap. He was falling for the man...the man whose curse was to turn into a dragon every night. 

Bedelia sighed and took a few leisurely steps towards them as she spoke. "Well if that's true...then I'm afraid there will be a little more to it than you had envisaged." She paced around Will, eyeing him in the manner of someone examining a show animal. Bedelia stopped, her assessment apparently made and faced Hannibal again. "There is a quest you must undertake. All of our endings can be found in our beginnings...you will find the answers behind the veil." She turned her ice blonde head and looked very pointedly towards the northern castle and the mountains behind.

Hannibal frowned, utterly infuriated with her vague instructions, and wracked his brain for a clue. He glanced at Will, who was of course none the wiser, and opened his mouth to speak but she held up a hand. Whether Hannibal was silenced by magical means or by her cool authority, nobody was sure, but she gave them both her enigmatic half-smile...and then was gone.

"I'm sorry, Hannibal. I'm sorry she couldn't lift the curse or tell us more than that..." Will grabbed Hannibal's hand hesitantly and squeezed it in his own for a brief moment. Hannibal's touch made him shiver, he felt tingling in his fingers that he never felt before and if the man hadn't been so cold towards him the past few hours, Will would have even hugged him to make him feel better. Instead, he dropped his hand and rubbed his elbow nervously as he looked up to see the northern castle far in the distance.

"So we're going to your castle? Or to the mountains?" Will asked silently, the warm breath forming a little cloud in front of his mouth as he spoke. He wrapped himself more tight in the coat he was wearing and offered Hannibal a small smile, "Let's go then, I'm sure we can get there in no time."

Hannibal's felt his chest squeeze just a touch as Will clutched his hand, but he put it down to frustration over the situation Bedelia had landed them in. He sighed to try and release some of his held breath, his tension and glanced at Will. "Yes, I suppose." He said grudgingly, having a handful of half-formed ideas as to where she might be sending them. "We should still camp here for the night though...it is too far to make it to the castle before nightfall and I am starved. Can you please collect some firewood?" Hannibal tried not to be too short with Will. It wasn't his fault she was difficult, or that he was cursed, his anger was simply flaring because now he would need to maintain this charade even longer. Hannibal set about retrieving the meat given to them by the serving girl at the inn, intending to cook it over the fire they would build, and hoped for the end of all this to come soon...

Will understood Hannibal's despair but he couldn't help feeling a sting when he treated him like this. He silently nodded to his request and set off to the forest to pick up some wood that would be sufficient for the fire. He was aware that Hannibal would turn to his dragon form soon anyway and disappear for the night, so the more wood he'd get, the warmer he'd be during the night...alone. Will sighed and ran a hand over his face. He could run away now, could steal Hannibal's horse and try to flee back to his home. Hannibal was looking for someone else, Will clearly wasn't his one true love and it was foolish to think he could simply make him love him now. 

Hannibal knew Will was anxious, though he wasn't sure if it was the forest, the cold or Hannibal that most concerned him about a night spent here. He wasn't good at reassuring people, and there was nothing he could do about ultimately leaving him alone once the spell took effect at midnight, so he didn't have any idea what to say to the boy. Hannibal was starting to wonder if he would have been better off making his quest alone, especially now it would be even longer, instead of having to keep thinking of someone else but himself all the time. It was most foreign to Hannibal. A tiny part of him unhelpfully reminded him how much better it would also have been, if the kiss with Will had turned out to break his curse...

Hannibal was lost in his thought as he stuck pieces of meat onto sticks, when Will returned with an armful of wood and lay it down on the ground. The sound of him placing the kindling next to him grabbed his attention, as did the young prince's cheeks - pink from so much time outdoors. "I trust you know how to start a fire?" Hannibal said, trying hard not to sound as churlish as he felt.

"From scratch? No, I don't. I know, I'm a spoiled brat who never had to do any work, right?" Will had no idea what set him off but he suddenly snapped. "I'm such a disappointment, aren't I? You must drag me along like a dog and I'm completely useless because I don't know how to behave, I cannot endure cold because I don't come from this barbaric part of the land, and I cannot even help! What a pathetic creature I am!” He threw his arms out to the sides, furiously matching from one side of the clearing to the other as he ranted. "You shouldn't have taken me if you're so unhappy now, you could've let me go. I'm not the one who cursed you. I'm not the evil witch that cast this on you!" Will spat words full of poison and despair before he collapsed against a rock and hid his face in his hands, shaking. 

Hannibal was wholly taken aback by Will's outburst, he had been merely asking the question and didn't realise the boy had been feeling like this. He felt bad and didn't really know the right thing to do, but he rose from his haunches and went to Will's side. "I'm not sure what I've done, but I apologise." Hannibal began, a little stiffly and looking down at his hands, more than at Will. He was unsure if the act was coming easier now or if he was actually concerned that Will was upset. "I certainly don't find your company useless on this journey and besides, you did offer it freely. I was only trying to have the food ready that much sooner." He explained quietly.

"I offered my help to you freely because I felt sad that you have to do this to be free, but ever since that moment every time I touch you or do something nice you look so oddly at me. You're suddenly so cold and distant and that makes me wonder, you know? If you're disgusted by me, if you're not keeping me around out of pity, just as you'd keep a stray dog." Will looked up at the man and shook his head, "Look at you, you won’t even look at me. We should go our separate ways, you'll be better off without me. I'm only slowing you down." He was the one averting his eyes this time, staring at the ground next to him as all of these feelings bubbled on the surface without him having any control over it. 

Hannibal was totally baffled by Will's words and where all his emotions were coming from, so much that he began to wonder if maybe he _had_ been acting distant towards Will. The young prince had made it clear he couldn't love him, what was he supposed to do? He couldn't help the instinctual panic rising at the thought of agreeing to part. Hannibal told himself it was not because he liked having Will around but that he simply needed someone to help break the curse, though it was truly starting to feel like a lie. He dropped to his knees beside Will and spoke, as the boy eventually turned his face to look into his eyes, a little sadly. "I am..." Hannibal began, struggling for the right words. "...unaccustomed to having a companion. At all. Then here you are, rejecting my kiss. I didn't think you would care to be friendly." Hannibal dropped his gaze again primly.

"Well it hurts, alright? It hurts, Hannibal, because I am really growing to like you a lot and I cannot even break that curse of yours since I clearly am not the person for you," Will studied Hannibal’s face and when Hannibal looked aside, it was Will who simply grabbed him by the chin and forced him to look at him, "I am falling in love with you and there is nothing I can do about it and it's so terrifying because you'll find someone who is going to be perfect for you and at that moment you'll leave and be happy with them.." Will said all in a rush, trying to sound calm although his voice was shaky and his eyes watered again. but keeping his hold on Hannibal's chin.

Hannibal was very still, staring directly back into Prince Will's big blue eyes. Was he really falling for him? How?! People had abandoned him all his life, and he had treated the boy with only false kindness and aggression. They barely knew each other and yet...the tiny voice inside Hannibal told him he was falling too. How many times had he brushed off the feelings of fondness as quickly as they came? He had never had a person who wanted to be around him, even this much...and what if the curse could still be broken…? Hannibal leaned forward suddenly and caught Will's mouth in a kiss. It was softer, perhaps more real, than before and Will seemed to relax.

The kiss took Will completely by surprise and he melted into it even easier than he expected. His grip on Hannibal's chin loosened and he returned the kiss as his eyes closed and he sagged against the other man's body. Everything that had been occupying his head suddenly vanished and left him blank as a page of a book that has not been filled yet. Will sighed against Hannibal's lips, feeling the goosebumps running down his back and the soft tingling in his belly. Hannibal made him feel warm and safe and millions of other things that the little prince had no words for. He pulled back after a moment with a heavy blush tinting his cheeks and immediately lowered his eyes, "I am so sorry for getting so het up... it was inappropriate."

Hannibal came back to his senses a little - the boy was intoxicating - his innocence, his pure eagerness, his honesty made it hard not to be drawn in, but he was so unsure of his own feelings. "I understand, but I should not have kissed you out of the blue like that - it was far more inappropriate." Hannibal swallowed hard. He had no way of knowing whether the spell would break, or whether their quest would still be necessary, and if it was would he ever find a way to end the curse? Will was the only person who had ever showed him this kindness, yes, but it was all so fragile and based on so much uncertainty."Shall I show you how to make this fire then so we can eat?" He asked, trying to act normal, and was relieved when Will gave him a small smile.

"Yes...having this knowledge might save me in the future. I'd appreciate it." Will was at the very least, glad Hannibal didn't seem to be angry with him and he moved closer to gain some knowledge that he could surely put to good use. Will carefully watched the older man, listened to his advice and kept a close watch on his skilled hands. When Hannibal had almost magically crafted fire in front of him, Will's smile widened and he let out a happy sigh. "Well, I still might be a bit clumsy about this but the next time we need fire I want to at least try it for myself." He concluded and went to fetch their food.

*

As they ate and talked and smiled a little too politely at each other, Hannibal felt the glow of affection start to wear off and reality setting in, tainting his unusually good mood. Their easy companionship was temporary and barely real. They would be parted soon enough. This was exactly why the prince had tried to keep his distance from the boy and now he had allowed things to become messy. Nothing that felt supernatural had occurred to suggest the curse was altered in anyway, Will was still only a pawn, and Bedelia had stated it plainly - it was the quest or nothing at all. They chatted about the wildlife in the forest around them, with Will teaching him facts he never knew, until they were sleepy. But Hannibal knew in his heart that at midnight he would be one of those beasts too once more. "I can stay with you until you fall asleep, if you would like?" He offered. "Perhaps I should try and rest myself, while I can." Hannibal said resignedly. 

Will looked at Hannibal in surprise. Was he really offering to stay? Had the kiss changed anything in him? The boy nodded very slowly, cautious about this whole thing, and replied, "I'd like that...if it's not too much trouble. I know that you'll have to leave soon..." Will trailed off and blushed, it was still bizarre to address Hannibal's dragon form, "...but I'd like you to stay for a while, at least." 

He took few more sips of water before laying down on his coat and rested both hands under his head to substitute a pillow. He wasn’t really getting used to sleeping on hard surfaces yet, but he wasn't missing his comfortable bed that much with Hannibal's presence helping significantly. Will closed his eyes and relaxed, taking a deep breath to try and calm his racing mind, "Goodnight, Hannibal."

Hannibal lay down next to the young prince, and threw his own cloak over them both. He was unclear about so many things but for now he was certain that Will was here, with him. He wanted to help and he was a pure-hearted creature. Unlike him. They could surely be friends, even if just for now? Hannibal didn't know what he should do, so he very carefully made sure they weren't touching. The space between them in this little bubble of proximity seemed to rustle with the whispers of potential words and actions. To reach across that slender gap would be the tiniest movement...but the largest gesture. Although Hannibal could practically feel Will's physical presence, he desperately didn't want to confuse things further. Then Will shifted. His body language and breathing suggested he was cold, and Hannibal ached with the unfamiliar but strong desire to protect him. His heart raced. "Will...you can come closer...if you're cold. We can keep each other warm." Hannibal offered quietly, holding his breath as he waited for a response.

The young prince thought of the proposition. If he moved closer and thus pressed himself against Hannibal, would it seem like he was interested in the man in a different way than just getting warm? Will sighed and, still curled under the coat, pressed his back against Hannibal's body. It immediately sent warmth throughout him like a flood and he let out a small gasp, closing his eyes tightly, tempted to turn to face the man and cuddle in his arms completely. "Thank you, for this... for keeping me warm." Will muttered as he felt their bodies press together, just as if it were supposed to be this way forever. He couldn't help but find the connection reassuring.

Hannibal was amazed to notice how his body relaxed with Will flush against him, though his heart pounded so much he worried Will could hear it. Almost instinctually, but partly for his own comfort, he wound his arm gently around Will's middle, trying not to hold him so tight it would seem unusual, nor so lightly that Will would think he grudged him this. "Of course..." His voice low, "I rather like the heat myself." Hannibal purred, not really meaning to make it sound so intimate, but then Will shifted a touch and Hannibal’s jaw tightened. The young boy's wriggling and his scent...it was making him aroused. Hannibal tried to subtly tilt his hips so that Will would not feel how he was slowly becoming shamefully erect - what would he think of him after everything that had transpired between them? The movement only made it worse, however, and Hannibal cursed his traitorous, touch-starved body.

As the silence fell upon them, Will could only hear them both breathe which was partially odd and exciting. The temptation to press more against Hannibal was so strong he had to bite on his lower lip to stop himself. He didn't dare to move much as he had no idea whether Hannibal was trying to sleep or if he just waited for midnight to leave, but then he felt him hard against his behind. Will opened his eyes and stared at the fire, watching the flames embrace the wood. He couldn't do it, he couldn't resist, so all of a sudden he rolled onto his other side and wrapped one arm around Hannibal as he buried his face in the man's neck.

Prince Hannibal froze, gasping softly as Will curled himself in against his body. His heart was racing in his ears, as his mind told him one thing and his body told him something very different… After what felt like forever at war with himself, but what could only have been seconds, Hannibal gave in. He moved so their legs were tangled together and pulled Will close, knowing the boy would fully feel how hard he was but past caring. Hannibal took Will's face gently in his hand and tilted it up to kiss him hungrily. There was nothing in the world now but what happened under their shared cloak, in their warm little space together. No words, no hiding. Just for tonight they could throw caution to the wind. 

Will let out a shocked sound that became a deep moan when Hannibal forced his lips against his so hungrily. He shivered and when he felt Hannibal's erection pressed against his body, sending a wave of pleasure down his abdomen, arousing him too. Will was a little proud that he managed to turn on such a devilishly handsome man. He squeezed the prince more tightly around the neck and returned the kiss just as passionately, whilst trying not to tremble as much. The other hand slipped beneath Hannibal's tunic, touching the soft skin of his stomach, fingertips brushing against a scar he found. He hummed, pushing his tongue inside the other man’s mouth to connect them even more.

Hannibal inhaled sharply at the contact of Will's cold hand on his warm skin, but found that the sensation actually made him weak with lust. He wanted more, and it was clear Will was in favour of this, so he ran his hand down the young prince's body outside his clothes. Remembering his beautiful form from the stream made Hannibal impatient to touch him, and he raked under the hem on Will's garment, to slide his fingertips over the smooth curve at the base of his spine. They both moaned at the feeling of their skin touching and Hannibal gently ground his hips against Will. Tentatively, as if afraid to disturb the peace of this moment, Hannibal trailed his fingertips around to Will's belly and toyed with the waist of his trousers, as if asking permission, he wasn't exactly experienced at this either. He had only been with the odd serving wench before…

 _‘Take me, I'm yours, just take me’_ Will felt as if the words were screaming inside his mind the moment Hannibal tugged at his trousers. He shivered and leaned into the touch, taking Hannibal's hand in his and pushing it down so the older man could feel his growing arousal. The prince let out a soft whimper and pressed his lips against Hannibal's neck to suck on the skin, leaving a small red spot behind. He continued to kiss his way down the skin, trying to remember the way Hannibal smelled and tasted so that he could memorise it for the rest of his life. Will pulled Hannibal’s tunic up to expose more of his stomach and pressed more against him to feel the heat of his body. "Hannibal...you're so...it's driving me insane." Will whispered, remembering when he saw him naked in the pond and found himself more than ready.

Hannibal was overwhelmed at Will's boldness, at how hot and hard the boy was in his hand, at his soft mouth teasing his neck. He groaned low in his throat at began to stroke the young prince, almost reverently. "I _want_ to drive you insane..." Hannibal whispered near Will's ear, "Has anyone ever touched you like this?" He asked, a little drunk on the idea that Will might be completely pure, and that he was going to ruin him. His possessive nature swelling with pride.

"Well, not really, no... I never really figured out, you know, I wasn't sure for so long...and when I found out, everything was so overwhelming that I never...and besides, I wouldn't want some random stranger from the castle touching me if I didn't at least feel something for them." Will replied shyly between kisses, letting another cry escape his lips as he felt the tension building in his body while Hannibal stroked him. He kept his head hidden in Hannibal's neck and nipped at the soft skin with his teeth to leave behind a little bruise.

Hannibal moaned a little - partly in understanding, partly eager to bring Will to orgasm - and he pumped his fist over the boy’s rock hard length. His own cock was throbbing with want, and he hoped that the young prince would be willing to touch him too, as he grew needy for some relief. "I find that none of that really matters...labels and limits" Hannibal murmured breathlessly, encouragingly, "As long as you find someone to make you happy...sometimes I wish this curse would leave that choice up to me..." He said hoarsely, nudging Will's face up to his to catch his lips again.

"You make me happy... with your wild behaviour and your grumpiness and the way you frown that makes you look adorable even though you're trying to scare..." Will couldn't even finish what he was saying once he was cut off by Hannibal's hungry lips and his touch that made Will give yet another desperate moan. He was uncontrollably trembling by now, his inexperienced body rutting into Hannibal's hand and then just as the older man tugged at his lip, he reached an intense orgasm and yelped Hannibal's name. Will thrust his hips a few more times to ride out the blissful sensation. 

Hannibal was painfully hard as he watched and felt Will come in his arms. As the young prince began to return to himself, Hannibal released his cock and took his hand. He guided it to his stomach impatiently, and pressed it down his trousers to wrap around his erection. Will's eyes went wide and Hannibal's dark ones burned into them, "If you like wild...then touch me, just like you do to yourself." Hannibal growled. If Will wanted aggressive and dominant that's what he'd get. "You want to make me feel good, don't you?" Hannibal was shocked at how badly he wanted him, in the back of his mind knowing it was all for nought but not caring a jot.

Whilst the young prince internally panicked for a brief second, unsure if he could provide such pleasure to his lover, his hand squeezed Hannibal as he held the eye contact. He swallowed very slowly and leaned close to join their lips again in a kiss he was soon leading and turning into passionate fight for dominance. His thumb stroked Hannibal's tip before he started pumping his hand up and down alongside the shaft, making little whiny noises, enjoying this just as much. His heart was beating so fast in his chest, blood boiling in his veins and he was determined to bring Hannibal the release he so clearly craved. Will forced his tongue inside Hannibal's mouth the same moment he increased the pace with his hand. 

Hannibal was helpless to the boys frantic ministrations, as he worked eagerly to return the favour. He could feel his body winding tighter as he tangled a hand into Will's chocolate curls, keeping their mouths pressed together and moaning breathlessly against the young prince’s lips. His orgasm crashed suddenly over him in a shuddering wave, and he spilled hot over Will's hand and his own belly. Hannibal was dizzy with the heady feeling as they continued to kiss for a few moments, before eventually re-arranging their clothes and returning to cuddling. They were silent. 

Hannibal didn't know what to say as the reality of what they had done started to set in. He didn't know if Will had fallen asleep by the time the fever came over him, but the boy was very still and Hannibal figured he wasn't far off it. He gently extricated himself from the young prince's body and found he missed the comfort of their embrace right away. It was unnerving so that Hannibal was truly sad but somewhat relieved to transform. His dragon brain wondered vaguely if he could have stayed close by, or should have, but knew in his heavy heart it was a bad idea and flew off into the lonely night once again...


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are SORRY for the delay...thank you all for your patience :)

Will woke up early in the morning, alone and cold. Despite being wrapped in multiple duvets and coats, it was Hannibal's warmth that he craved. The reality that the other prince wasn't with him made Will feel uneasy to say the least. He rubbed the sleep off his eyes and slowly stood up, paying little attention to the long cold fireplace or their supplies laying around. He finally noticed the older prince resting near the cave entrance, back in his human form again with peace written in his facial features. Part of Will wanted to approach him and cuddle into his arms, to feel yesterday again as he believed - perhaps foolishly - that this changed things between them for sure. The other part of him that eventually overpowered the first, was hunger. It made Will leave the cave and look in the forest for some berries or anything else he and his companion could eat.

Hannibal stirred at the sound of Will's footsteps on the stone floor, regaining consciousness just in time to see him disappear around the far side of the cave. The prince was cold, and berated himself for not sliding under the coats with Will when he returned. The boy had looked so serene and warm and pure, despite their encounter, that Hannibal hadn't the heart to disturb him. He really didn't know how to feel about what happened. On the one hand they had simply been trying to stay warm, maybe each a little desperate for human contact; but on the other...their chemistry felt so intimate, so natural, their shared pleasure intense enough to make Hannibal _almost_ forget the reason for their predicament. 

The quest. Still very necessary after what felt like the thousandth night as a monster. They would reach Lecter castle today and then what? ‘Looking behind the veil’ as Bedelia had put it, in more ways than one.

Will returned shortly, ever so carefully manipulating the cloak in his hands filled with blueberries and blackberries, as well as some apples he found on a nearby tree. He noticed Hannibal was wide awake and offered him a small smile as he sat close to him but not too close. He was unsure how the man would feel about their encounter and so he silently offered what he gathered and took one apple himself. When he finally thought of a good question to ask away from that subject, he turned his bright eyes to the other. "So, we're going to go to your castle today? I reckon it must be close - we've been going quite fast through the countryside." 

Hannibal smiled weakly at Will and took an apple as well, studying Will’s seated form. Both were so completely unaware how much they already mirrored each other - like planets orbiting around one another. "Yes indeed, I believe we will be there by this evening." He answered levelly. True, the horse was tired and would be glad to be returned to his stable, but in all honesty Hannibal was nervous. He was concerned about what Will might think of his dark and isolated - though lavish - home, and of where he may want to sleep...

Was it wise to keep letting their urges run wild? Probably best not to drag it out since it had solved nothing, and Hannibal was far from comfortable allowing people to see him. Lecter Castle was his place to hide. Hannibal resolved to keep a handle on himself and remember that Will was only aiding him, that it was only temporary discomfort. He finished eating the fruit, rose, and stretched his stiff body. "Come, we shall have some real food waiting for us at the castle." Hannibal smirked.

"Hey, this wasn't so bad, you ought to learn to appreciate what the nature can offer you," Will replied with equal amount of sass in his voice and he returned the man’s smirk. He stood as well, dressing in the furry coat as he was only too painfully aware of the cold he would have to contend with on their way to Hannibal's castle. He was so far from home and it came as a shock to him that he almost didn't remember how the Southern castle looked, despite running through it countless of times as a little boy. It felt like months since he had seen it, not days.

"Nature also offers meat and grain to make bread." Hannibal chuckled and went outside. 

Will made sure all of his clothes were secured and only then did he follow the other man out of the cave and towards the horse feeding outside. The young prince stroked the animal's head, quietly thanking it for carrying them both so far already. "I cannot even picture your castle in my head, I can’t picture what to expect."

Hannibal steeled himself, knowing that it was a stark contrast to Will's home and wanting to simply get on with their journey. “You shall see soon enough." Hannibal helped Will onto the horse and climbed up himself, thinking about the people who had met their end there after crossing him. Those who had become the meat he spoke of. Even the few staff who remained, though distant with him, still knew little or nothing of his occasional killing. Ideally Prince Will would never find out either, and Hannibal could simply be free of him. This notion filled him with as much dread as it did relief as they rode off through the chilly morning, and he tried to shake it away. After being quiet for a bit he continued, "It's definitely not as...lively as your home. In fact it can be rather lonely." Hannibal warned him, unsure where this sentiment had come from and rather glad Will couldn't see his expression.

"Do _you_ feel lonely then, Hannibal? In your kingdom, I mean, has it ever been that you felt truly lonely? Because...despite how lovely my castle may be, I felt pretty lonely for a long time...being surrounded by people is not always any better." He knew he was daring, but Will leant back until he could feel Hannibal's torso against him. He remained there, letting the other prince warm him with his heat and closed his eyes to rest - it's not like the cave ground was anywhere near comfortable for sleeping. "Maybe it's even worse...being surrounded by people who don't really _see_ you, who only take you as a little boy who's supposed to have a glorious wedding, ideally marrying someone who would understand how to rule, and not a person."

Prince Hannibal was caught off guard by the question, but more so by the feeling of Will's body pressing tighter against his own. He was sharply reminded of the night before and as he listened to Will ramble, it made absolutely no sense that this beautiful, sweet young man was growing so obviously attached to someone like _him_. Hannibal had worked hard to blind him, yes, but it had been so easy that he almost pitied Will’s vulnerability. 

That was until it hit him hard that the young prince was in fact right about _his_ loneliness. 

"From time to time, I used to wonder if it would be better to have people around me." Will was always surprising him, that much was genuine, but they were not meant for one another. How could they be if he had been a dragon last night once more? Hannibal sighed deeply. "Then I came to understand how cruel humanity can be." It was not a sufficient answer but Will was so still, Hannibal knew he was only half paying attention anyway, dozing against his chest. Baffling.

"Loneliness isn't a solution. Being lonely or being surrounded by people you can't trust, that's no life for a man...especially since we have the right to live only once." Will's eyes felt heavy and he could feel himself drifting here and there for short periods of time. He yawned and snuggled more in the coat wrapped around him. Hannibal merely mulled over how profoundly astute this was.

"I'm starting to think that when we meet the person who's right for you, I won't like them. It's better for both of us to part when that happens..." Will continued with sleepy honesty. He was painfully aware of his own emotions betraying him. He knew that if he even saw a person who'd be the one for Hannibal, his jealousy would get the better of him. He wasn't sure if he'd lash out at this hypothetical person, or if he'd burst into bitter tears... Will shook away the thought and took a deep breath. "I only hope those who remained at your castle aren't as barbaric as you are."

Hannibal licked his lip in shocked contemplation, unseen by Will, not even sure where to start with what the boy had said. "No..." He said finally. "They are just staff, though I am not sure what makes you think I am so barbaric." There was a pause that Will could have filled, but the young prince said nothing. "Sometimes one's isolation is understandable...not to keep others away, but simply because there is nobody who understands us." Hannibal added quietly. 

He felt, at certain moments, as though Will may have been able to understand him - that they might understand one another - and it almost seemed surreal to imagine the idea of another who was actually the one for him. Someone with different coloured eyes from Will’s? Someone less kind and amenable perhaps? He inhaled gently the scent of Will's curls and shook his head at how foolish he was acting. They _should_ part. That much Hannibal did know.

Will fell asleep sometime after Hannibal's last sentence and didn't wake up until the horse stopped. His eyes opened to see a castle made of dull stone, a fortress that was surely heavily guarded before it’s owner had started turning into a dragon overnight. The young prince straightened his back and, once Hannibal jumped off his horse, he quickly followed so he wouldn't look like some spoiled princess or a trophy. He was given stares wherever he looked nonetheless, a wide-eyed summer child in the middle of a frozen kingdom. Will didn't feel like he was entitled to say anything about it and so he simply disappeared into the castle through the huge wooden door that his older companion opened.

"Everyone's giving me odd looks. I know I don't belong here but they make me feel even more unusual." Will mumbled while he ruffled his hair before taking the coat off. 

Hannibal avoided the inquisitive looks of the sparse staff as he and Will entered the castle. "You can wait in there." He gestured to a large thin door leading off the ornate foyer. "I have something I want to check...alone." He added with an awkward little cough, before he was off up the sweeping staircase. Hannibal knew that he couldn't risk Will encountering anything...alarming. He was fairly sure the boy was aware he had killed in his life, but coming face to face with it was another matter.

Truth be told he simply wanted to regroup away from the boy's disarming presence. He had thought his plan was so simple, that it had to work. Kidnap the boy, make him his, break the spell and be gone. But the kiss didn't work...not for the spell anyway. Neither of the kisses, nor that...tryst had worked to do anything other than make Hannibal think things he never allowed himself to think. Will had clouded his mind to the point where Hannibal had schmoozed him into helping, and now they were in this confusing mess. He could never have predicted Will's bold streak nor his magnetic pull. The young prince was 'behind the veil' with him now and Hannibal wasn't sure what move to make. Hannibal found he had wandered unconsciously into the west wing and an idea struck him…

*

"You're from the South, aren't you? Your skin has a wonderful golden glow...and you seem to be confused as to your whereabouts." Will almost jumped when a young woman behind him spoke, clearly a maid, judging by the simple clothes and the empty plates that she was carrying. Her skin was pale but yet her lips were dark red and curious eyes gazed into Will's. The prince caught himself smelling honey and herbs from the woman's auburn hair. She was beautiful, in fact far more beautiful than any woman he'd ever seen.

"I am, yes, I came here with prince Hannibal...to help him with something he needs." Not sure just how well informed the staff were of Hannibal's curse, Will decided to avoid the topic for now.  
The woman offered him a simple smile and the young prince felt a little burst of warmth somewhere inside his stomach.

"Well, welcome. Are you hungry? I can fetch you some food?" She offered sympathetically as she could see the state the man in front of her was in - shivering, probably halfway to getting a cold and surely starving.

"That would be wonderful, thank you, um… My name is Will."  
"Pleasure to meet you, Will, I'm Margot. Now, please follow me to the dining room." The red haired woman turned, the ever so tempting smell of honey hitting Will right in the face, and opened the door closest to her. Will, noting Hannibal's recommendation to stay in one place, followed her anyway. 

*

Hannibal rifled through book after book, his beloved sister's, which he had kept stashed in her long since empty bedroom. Some of his own were there too and he scoured them all. Maybe _this_ sentence meant something? Had that annotation _always_ been there? He had been so sure that he had finally solved the witch's cryptic clue by looking here, but Hannibal wasn't seeing what he hoped to find. There wasn't a single unusual mark, magical or otherwise, on these fairy tales, and he was growing more and more irritated by the minute. He shoved the last one back in the chest and slammed it shut in a cloud of dust. Hannibal sighed dejectedly.

His stomach growled as he stood to leave and he was suddenly very aware of the fact he had left Will downstairs for too long. Even the fact he had to take him into consideration yet again was infuriating Hannibal, as he strode down to where he expected Will still to be. He swung open the ornate doors to the library and found no one. Was all this even worth the trouble? He thought angrily to himself. Suddenly he heard laughter coming from the dining room and found his temper shortened even further... 

*

"Really? You have that many types of flowers there? I've barely seen two kinds of flowers in our grounds that can survive the North's temperatures." Margot laughed. She was sat next to Will at the end of the long wooden table, both holding cups of freshly made tea in both hands and taking occasional sips. 

"Oh yes, our gardens burst with colours during summer, it is quite breathtaking to see it for the first time…” He trailed off. “Pardon me, I get a bit melancholy when I speak of my home. I understand I must make it sound like paradise, but it's not been a paradise to me. I was mostly ignored up until my eighteenth birthday, then I suddenly became important to the rest of the world despite what I might have wished" He explained bitterly. Will took another bite of bread and some warm soup that made his belly grumble in happiness. 

Margot chuckled and shook her head in agreement. "Of course, it's always like that, isn't it? I'm only needed when someone wants to clean their room or make some food...other than that? No one even cares to remember my name. When _His Highness_ is here, everyone ignores me, but when he leaves? Most of the men get lonely and...then it's not the nicest place to be." She finished quietly.

Will offered the woman a look of sympathy and squeezed her hand briefly. "When we sort all of this out, I'll take you to my kingdom to look at the flowers. That is if your prince allows me to do so."

Prince Hannibal marched across the entrance hall of the castle towards the sound of voices, and swung open the door just in time to catch one of the maids - Margot - gazing kindly at Will as he held her hand. His gut squeezed with hot jealousy and rage. He cleared his throat loudly, as if the movement of the ancient door wasn't enough to belie his presence. "My apologies for taking so long." Hannibal said a little too calmly. "I see you have been _well attended_ in my absence." He spat. 

Margot sprang to her feet and cast a tight but seemingly apologetic smile at her master, before quickly skirting around him and disappearing into the main castle. Will looked round at him, his eyes flashing reproach but Hannibal cut in again before he could speak. "I suppose you had nothing to worry about when it came to the people here, did you? How nice." He said, face strained with all kinds of insecure envy.

"Why are you so hostile all of a sudden? She offered me some food so I followed her here and we talked... I'm sorry, am I not allowed to talk to anyone? Your men outside looked at me as if they wished to see how I look on the inside rather than outside and this woman was the only person offering some kindness." Will pushed the empty plate aside and stood up so that he wouldn't feel so small in comparison to Hannibal, who was towering over him. "She is very kind and I _would_ like to take her to the South one day to see our gardens, with your permission of course. I do not see a single reason for your anger, Hannibal, so please, if there is something bothering you, do tell me." Will tried to reach out with his hand and squeeze Hannibal's but the man flinched his hand just a little out of the way, so he backed off, stung.

Hannibal knew somewhere very deep down, that he wanted Will to take his hand, that he was right about all of it, but he couldn't tell him. He couldn't find the words for all he felt - for how his rage was at the witch, at his parents, at himself and not at all at Will; that seeing him and Margot together had made him see red because the girl, or really anyone else at all, would likely be better for Will than he would; that Will's irritation with him only made him feel _more_ that Will was only here out of pity. He was not the poor little fool that Hannibal had expected, one he could use and discard, but he would not be pitied after surviving so long on his own.

So he did as he always did - he pushed him away. "I said nothing of the sort." Hannibal huffed. "If she is so kind and I am so awful, then perhaps you should go to her. Take her home as you desire, and I shall continue my quest without aid.” Hannibal could not meet Will's eyes, the fear and hope of what he might see there were equally too much to bear. 

"Is that really what you think of me? That I'd just take some girl and leave after everything we have been through together? Really?" Will raised an eyebrow and then frowned when Hannibal said nothing. Not in the least did he expect Hannibal to lash out at him like this, and the fact that he did was like a dagger. Will stepped back. "If that is what you think then there's truly not much to say. You are blinded by your ignorance, you do not see what you have right in front of you and you're chasing after a solution for this curse that may or may not even be reachable in the end." Will blurted out, losing control of his tongue. "I have sacrificed for you, you idiot, but did you actually notice? No, because you're so full of yourself but guess what, your Highness? Not everything is about you!" By this point, Will spat his words and turned away, leaving the room in a hurry just as the first bitter tear fell down on his cheek.

Hannibal was a tense mess of conflicted emotions and he simply stood, fists clenched and rooted the spot, as Will stormed away. He didn't know what to aim at first - the fury he felt at being so insulted in his own palace; the guilt that he had hurt such a sweet and good-hearted creature; the desire to go after him; the desire to banish him forever; or the overwhelming sense that none of it mattered anyway. They could not be. It was not on the cards or the kisses would have broken his curse. What did it matter that the boy was falling for him, pouring his heart out? It did not matter one bit that he helped him, that they shared such a wonderful night, for he was meant for another. They both were, Hannibal figured, and he simply hung his head exasperated.

Hannibal was startled out of his introspective despair by a fizzing, mystical noise by the window. The witch, Bedelia, who clearly had the audacity to materialise right inside his home now. Rude creature. "Have you come to help in a real way, or simply to gloat?" Hannibal asked her with a bored raise of his eyes to the heavens.

She tutted sarcastically. “Look at you chasing away perhaps the only person who ever cared to the extent of actually wanting to stay in your presence, Hannibal." Bedelia's lips spread into the familiar half smile she always presented when she was mocking him. "That boy has showed you more love than you can possibly comprehend since your sister died, and what do you do? You get angry at him for talking to a maid? Truly, Hannibal, your days of self-control are long gone." She sat on the table, crossing her legs. "Now why does anything I say matter, hmm? Why, when Will is so perfect, does the curse still stand? I am sure that by now you must have acknowledged that this curse has a little catch to it...but until you can figure out what it is, I can do nothing." She said mildly.

Prince Hannibal was rapidly losing patience with all of this, his jaw tight as he listened to her patronising scolding. He was irate about the utter smugness in her voice as she let him know this was another diversion. Hannibal thought that he would dearly love to put an end to her, but he was certain her magic meant she couldn't die by any conventional means. "Don't mention my sister to me, witch. My life was fine before YOU trifled with it." Hannibal rounded on her, stalking towards where she sat. "All of this is your fault, not mine, and now you tell me it's all just a game of yours?" He ground out, eyes full of hate.

"All our lives are games, Hannibal, and you are terrible at playing yours. You're too impulsive, irrational. Do you think I didn't see just how much you enjoyed that night with Will in the cave? Trying to deceive a witch, are we? Then you turn into your old grumpy self whenever the boy tries to initiate some contact." Bedelia was aware of a presence the mortal man would not be able to sense. Her eyes quickly flashed towards the door before Hannibal could notice, then looked right back at him without a word. Somebody was standing on the other side of the door, eavesdropping. Someone from the Southern court. "Tell me, what does that boy even mean to you?" The witch asked her deliberately leading question. 

Hannibal snapped. "Nothing!" He said through gritted teeth. "Nothing but a reminder of the mess you made of my life and the sport you made of me, you meddling harpy!" He was raising his voice to her now, his eyes blazing at her for everything she had done. Hannibal possibly knew, very deep down, that his words were born of fury, but he was too incensed to be anything else.

"Perhaps I did enjoy it, but what of it? If you hadn't cursed me in the first place, hadn't thoughtlessly condemned me to this life, I would never have had to try and acquire myself a partner out of manipulation!" He growled, breathing hard and utterly furious that hot, angry tears were threatening the back of his eyes. He had been but a child, his sister even younger, and they did not deserve this injustices that were thrown upon them.

Will, who stood behind the door, felt as if someone ripped his heart out of his chest and then crushed it in front of his very own eyes. He stared at the door in disbelief, the pounding of blood was so loud in his ears that he didn't hear anything else. So this all was nothing but revelry to the prince? He had just seduced him to break the curse and nothing else, and all they shared together was meaningless. Will decided not to wait even a second longer, to run out of the palace, leave that wretched place and never come back...

Bedelia's lips spread into a smirk when she sensed the spot behind the door was empty. "You'll be glad to know that you have gotten rid of your little prince right now, and it’s thanks to your very own words, Hannibal." 

Hannibal narrowed his eyes at her, the meaning of this assumption evading him until he caught her stealing a self-satisfied glance at the door while she feigned innocence. It was a little ajar and Hannibal suddenly panicked, what had Will heard? Was Bedelia telling him more lies? 

He tore himself away from the desire to demand information from the witch and stalked out into the foyer. It was silent. He hurried to the library where he had told Will to stay with a tiny, futile shred of hope in his heart. The room was deserted. He stalked back out and moved towards the stairs when the maid, Margot, spoke to him from where she stood in the shadows, polishing a candelabra. "If you're looking for the boy..." She sighed. "He's gone." She turned sadly and returned to the kitchens. 

Hannibal felt his gut turn to stone and fill with cold, murderous hatred. He charged back into the dining room, no longer caring how much humanity remained in the witch to receive injury, wishing only to punish someone for the fault which was truly his own. She was nowhere to be seen, of course, and Prince Hannibal hung his head in defeat. 

He was alone again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are also sorry for the pain...it is temporary we swear <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear, what has Will gotten himself into? Seems familiar somehow ;)

Hannibal had become impossible. He did little but compose at his harpsichord and sit in the library to gaze out of the tall windows. Hel sometimes read - always tales of faraway shores - and often drank wine. There was rumour in the village that a young, dark headed man by the name of Dimmond, who was visiting from the Continent, had gone missing while his horse was being shoed. His headless body had turned up down by the river, and nobody in the castle dared question where the master had been those nights... He tormented the stable hands about their failure to stop Will from leaving, giving the impression he was only vexed about the stolen animal.

 

One evening the witch returned to him as he lay in the bath, and he loudly decried her rudeness. She was evasive with any real information about the boy's whereabouts, despite the fact Hannibal knew she had supernatural knowledge of every inch of that forest. "All I know is that someone is following him." She waved her hand vaguely. "A tall man in dark clothing. I have never seen him around these parts before, so perhaps he was sent to retrieve your young prince." Hannibal _insisted_ she leave but he couldn't help the panic swelling in his chest.

 

*

 

Having stolen a horse was one thing, but getting back home to his kingdom turned out to be a whole different adventure. Prince Will, dressed poorly in only a tunic and trousers, tried to preserve his body heat by pressing onto the horse as close as he could. The animal was after all trained to survive in these hostile lands. His stomach resonated with another loud grumble and Will bit on his lower lip, cursing under his breath."Why didn't I pack some food..." 

 

He was on the road for what - four days? Five? Everything was blurring together, the trees all looked the same and the forest was never ending. Will leaned his head against the horse's neck when he suddenly registered a small noise close to him. A twig snapped. He turned his head ever so slowly to the source of the noise, bitterly realising he was unarmed, only to see a small rabbit staring back at him before running off. The southern prince chuckled, but it was the only thing he did before someone violently pulled him off the horse and smashed something against his head and making him fall unconscious.

 

When Will came back to his senses, he realised that he was in a cave, that his entire body was freezing and that his hands and ankles were tied together. He also noticed a small group of men, not more than three, standing at the entrance and clearly engaging in important conversation. This was just wonderful, Will desired to return home and yet ended up being captured again by someone who looked far more brutal than Hannibal...besides, he doubted these men were keen on marrying him. 

 

He tried to observe the area where he was held, looking for anything that may either set him free or make the lives of those gentlemen miserable. As he turned his head around, to his own disappointment, a pair of dark eyes belonging to a rather handsome, but quietly malevolent man were watching him.

 

"Good morning, your royal Highness." The man purred in a deep, even voice and when his lips stretched into a smile, Will felt a shiver running down his spine. "Where are my manners, excuse me, my name is Francis and I will be your companion for these following few days. We shall return you to the Southern Kingdom but fear not, pretty prince, we won't give you back to the king unless he pays a significant amount of money." Francis let out a laugh like a bark. 

 

William could feel his blood freezing in his veins, he blinked and felt his heart skip a beat. "You want to sell me to my own father?"

 

"Correct, and if he doesn't pay enough, we will try and sell you to a different king, perhaps the one from the North..." Francis was aware of Hannibal's reputation and he hoped this would strike fear into the boy. 

 

*

 

That night, after the witch Bedelia had made her vaguely ominous statement and left, Hannibal slept restlessly. Was she even telling him the truth about the mysterious man pursuing the young prince? Why was Will still in the forest - was he lost and potentially starving? Or was it all another ruse to send him on a wild goose chase like before? Why should he even care? Will left, damn him. _But that was my fault_ , Hannibal thought, his heart squeezing with guilt and anger all at once. He had been so furious at the curse and at Bedelia, even at Margot for simply being someone Will could be happy around.

 

He flopped onto his back and watched the patterns the trees made in the shadows that fell across his curtains. The wind howled around the castle walls and he shuddered as he thought of Will out there tonight, thought of how they had kept each other warm before... He sighed, reluctant to see that pretty, petulant boy while knowing he could never touch him that way again. Nonetheless, Hannibal didn't want Will _dead_ , so he had to go to him. He would never live with himself if he didn't.

 

Come the very cold and early dawn, after hours of fitful tossing and turning, Hannibal demanded his horse be saddled and swept his travelling cloak around him. The stable hands made quick work of his orders, for fear they would be scolded yet again. The Prince of the North mounted the prancing, black beast and was off, wondering how in hell's name he would find the boy.

 

*

 

Francis and his men travelled with him for at least another day and a half, until Will’s temper found it’s voice, overcoming his fear as he watched the men sit by the fire.

 

"You'll never get away with this! My father will find you and when he does, he'll skin you all alive."

 

Threats were all Will had up his sleeve and judging by the look on their faces, it had zero effect. The prince had managed to lean against the wall, in a different cave now, starving and half-hallucinating from the lack of sleep, food and water that was given to him. If these men were trying to keep him alive, they were doing a terrible job. Will closed his eyes and relaxed his head against the cold stone, thinking of Hannibal and how much he regretted being so needy when Hannibal clearly didn't know what he wanted from life...apart from breaking the curse, that much was obvious. Still better that than this.

 

"You foolish boy, we don't care if we sell you back to your father or not, we will sell you to anyone who offers the highest bid." Francis smirked over his shoulder at Will and clenched his fists. He hated when people didn't take him seriously. “Whilst we wait for our sponsors to bid on you, we might as well have some fun with you, hmm?" He turned his head to look at Will in a completely different light now, the look on his face expressing hunger of an altogether different sort. Will swallowed hard and shook his head, wishing for someone, ANYONE to come and save him as soon as possible...

 

It was approaching dusk on his second day in the forest when Hannibal heard distant jeering laughter. As he got closer to where the sound was, he noted that the voices had a distinctly ominous tone that suggested nothing good about their presence. Prince Hannibal circled his steed around to observe them from the higher ground to the west. He hoped in his heart that this was who had taken Will, that he had found him and not condemned him to being lost forever. The concern for the boy grew, however, at what fate might have befallen him in the hands of such men.

 

As they group became visible, Hannibal's gut lurched with rage. On the ground was clearly the young prince Will, his pale skin and tunic and his messy curls a stark contrast to the black-clad mercenary who was casually taunting and lazily beating him. Clearly they wanted him to fight back for sport, as he wasn't tied. Two more stood back near the trees, cruel spectators to Will's torment. Hannibal dismounted from his horse and tied him here at the vantage point. His hooves would be too loud on the bracken for a sneak attack. Sword drawn, he stalked towards the back of the ogling henchmen, trying his best to ignore Will's weak, pained sobs and keep his control. 

 

With cat-like stealth, Hannibal slashed the throat of the man to his right, and immediately ran his blade into the gut of the other when he startled. Blazing with cold fury, he turned from their fallen bodies to the man who was torturing the boy, and made him fully aware of his deadly presence.

 

Will's eyes widened in terror when the first soldier fell in front of him, his throat slit. Blood pouring from his wound fell onto the young prince as well as onto his captor, who now turned to face the man who had slaughtered his group. 

 

"Well well well, if it isn't the Northern Prince himself, the cruel tyrant wishes to save our little summer child here?" Francis let out a chuckle, his gaze dropping to Will who slowly attempted to get up. With one kick, Francis knocked him back to the ground and hissed. "You're not going anywhere until we resolve this. So, your Majesty, if I may ask, how much will you give us for his head? You see, we are mere merchants in the hands of God and we must get our money from somewhere." He shrugged and when Will attempted to rise up again, Francis knelt next to him and pressed his dagger to the prince's throat. "I said you're not going anywhere, pretty. Your Majesty, if you please...we don't have all day." 

 

 _God must have a great sense of humour_ , the thought flashed through Will's head when not only was he still in hands of a maniac who wanted to exchange him for money, but the one who rescued him, or attempted to, was nobody else than the man he tried to escape from in the first place. Will's eyes scanned Hannibal's face, the bags under his sharp eyes, the noble features he got to know that night hardened as he glared at Francis. Hannibal was still as beautiful as he was the first time Will met him, and that notion alone made him uneasy.

 

Hannibal's eyes narrowed at Francis and it was nothing short of amazing that his icy glare didn't turn the man to stone. Murderous anger boiled inside him at his treatment of Will like some wounded dog. The young prince's beautiful face was bloodied and drawn, his pitiful look triggering some primal instinct inside Hannibal to protect him from this beast. He glanced down at him before speaking. "I will give you nothing for your vile offering, besides felling you like I did your men." Hannibal said, dangerously calm. "You believe you are powerful yet you cower there, threatening a weakened child, instead of facing me like a man?" 

 

Hannibal brandished his bloody sword and stalked closer to them, scoffing when Francis tried to use Will as a shield in front of him. Hannibal's inky eyes locked onto Will's frightened blue ones and he tried to communicate it all in one look - his guilt, his pain, his regret, but most of all - his plan. They gazed at each other for only seconds, but it stretched time out into nothingness. He hoped with all his being that Will understood he had to help, and took his chance. He widened his eyes at the boy by way of a signal and lunged.

 

The seconds that passed during the moment when Hannibal stared in Will's eyes felt like years. It felt as if during this one moment they shared an entire conversation, a vicious scheme unfolding in Hannibal's head to get rid of the danger Francis embodied. Will was in front of the man, but the second Hannibal lunged forward, he ducked and moved so he wouldn't be in the way of the attack. He could hear Francis gasp in both surprise and pain, the sound of Hannibal's sword slicing flesh filled Will's ears and made him shiver. 

 

Prince Will's eyes scanned the area for a weapon he could use, anything that would help to get rid of Francis once and for all. He heard another growl as both men met halfway during their attacks and his heart skipped a beat when he saw Hannibal receiving a blow and bleeding from his hip. As if this was some sign to do something, Will without thinking too much, jumped at Francis's back to distract him, tearing him to the ground. Francis's body was heavy and when it pinned William to the ground, the boy was winded for few moments, gasping like a fish out of water. 

 

Hannibal made a choked sound as he was struck, but then lost his breath entirely as Will threw himself at the man. He watched, calculatingly as they fell, but Francis rolled off Will with agility and scrambled to his feet. Hannibal was amazed and impressed when Will soon did the same. They locked eyes again and it was as though there was nothing else - no past, no future and no present outside this moment. There was no other option but for this man to die and they would take him down together. 

 

Hannibal seized the opportunity as Francis glared furiously in Will's direction and lunged with his sword again, but he missed as the man turned. Sheer survival instinct made him grab at Francis' bleeding body and bite deep into his neck as Will's eyes went wide with shock. The bounty hunter screamed and clutched at his torn flesh.

 

There were moments during this gruesome fight, when Will felt completely hopeless and useless. Hannibal was visibly so much stronger than he could ever be and Francis seemed to be equally as bloodthirsty - the moment the Northern prince bit on Francis' neck and took some of his skin with him, Will shuddered and averted his eyes. No. He couldn't leave Hannibal in this alone, he had to do something. Crawling through the dirt, Will grasped the handle of a dagger lying nearby and with loud grunt he launched himself on top of Francis, burying the weapon in his back. 

 

Francis roared in pain and shook Will off, getting on top of the prince despite the excruciating pain that was spreading through his body like poison. Will gasped, staring in the face of the devil and then the first hit came. The summer prince felt his nose crack under Francis' knuckles, blood dripped into his mouth and down the corner of his jaw. Another hit aimed at his chest caused him to moan in pain and spit some of that blood out on the ground. 

 

Francis’ vengeful distraction as he beat the boy, gave Hannibal the chance to run his sword clean through his torso from back to front, before pushing him off of Will to the ground in a bloody, dying mess. 

 

Hannibal pressed a hand to his own wound, hunched over and panting as he watched to ensure the man wasn't getting back up. Will lay wheezing and bloodied next to him and he went to him. Hannibal reached his hand out to Will and gazed down at the boy until he finally accepted it and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. The older man had no idea where to begin as they surveyed each other warily. "I told you, you wouldn't last out here alone. Now look at that sweet face." He said roughly, the corner of his lips twitching with pained amusement and his tone soft before he caught himself. 

 

Hannibal gestured vaguely due to his injury towards the woods, where his horse was tethered. "I would be much obliged if you would let me take you back to the castle. You need food and warmth and treatment...as do I." His dark eyes implored the young prince to come with him.

 

Will released a loud sigh, not quite comprehending the horrors have finally ended. Seeing Hannibal dealing with the situation so gracefully, to be able to keep his calm regardless of the injuries...it was extremely admirable to say the least. Will watched Hannibal head towards the horse who was waiting for them nearby and slowly followed him, trying not to trip over his wobbly feet or to vomit. He turned his head away from the carnage left behind and hurried to catch up with the other prince as soon as possible. 

 

"H..Hannibal...I'm sorry I left, I owe you an explanation...I just.. I shouldn't have but I overheard your conversation with the witch." He rambled, everything was spinning and his jaw hurt like hell. "I heard you say horrible things...about me...and I ran..." 

 

"Hush, Will...there will be time enough for conversations when we are stronger. For now I think we should ride towards the river and camp for the night. Hopefully tomorrow evening we will be back at the castle, now that we can take the straight path home." Hannibal laid a hand on Will's shoulder, wincing slightly with his wound, and then climbed gingerly up on the horse, helping Will up in front of him.

 

They rode for around an hour of cold and pain with the minutes stretching on, until finally they heard the calm rush of water. Hannibal pulled the horse up on a wide bank and dismounted carefully, his breathing laboured with his injury. "We should be fine here for the night, in the shelter of that vast oak." He glanced up at the tree and then began to immediately look in his bag for the sparse medical things he had taken from the housekeeper's store.

 

The younger man didn't say anything and dismounted the horse in silence, both because his jaw was hurting even more now and because he didn't really want to start a conversation that would be silenced again. He kept Hannibal in his vision as if to make sure the prince wasn't about to run away or do something even worse than the kidnappers.

 

"You say stay the night, but what about your curse? Will your injuries transfer to your dragon state as well? You're not fit to fly." He began when he slowly approached the other man to look at his injuries. He could see Hannibal was still bleeding a touch. "You can't take care of it on your own, let me take a look at it.." 

 

He didn’t ask Hannibal to undress, he simply waited for the man to stand up and then forced his shirt over his head to expose the pale flesh. The wound wasn't deep, but it looked like it might get infected without a proper cleaning. Will sat Hannibal down on a stone and reached over the source of water to dip some cloth in it and clean the gash. 

 

"You mustn't fly, you'll hurt yourself more if you fly, promise me you'll do anything to stop yourself from flying." His grip on Hannibal's hand tightened, he couldn't afford to lose this man now that he's saved him. He would never find his way out of the wood without Hannibal's help. 

 

Hannibal nodded. "I will try my best, I will be lacking energy anyway." 

Will's other hand rose to the man's face, his pale fingers traced the thin cut across Hannibal's nose, wiping the blood off. "Thank you. For saving me, for finding me..." Hannibal stared at the boy solemnly as he tenderly touched his cut face. He was wholly taken aback by Will's heedless caring for him, even after everything. He watched the young prince's kind, pretty face as he delicately cleaned his wound. He glowed pale in the moonlight, save for his dark, but thankfully small, cuts. Hannibal tore a piece of cloth from his tunic and split it in two, offering one to Will to wrap around his body, covering the injury. 

 

He leaned down to dip the other in the cool water and gently lifted it to Will's bloodied face. "I'd very much like to stay with you." Hannibal said softly as he dabbed at Will's split lip. "But I shall keep my distance once I change...I will indeed still be injured then." He said with a heavy heart. He didn't want to be so close to Will that he could get accidentally hurt, but he wanted to watch over him. It was Will's turn to be silent and let Hannibal care for his insignificant wounds that in his own eyes only symbolised cowardice. He could've done more, he could've tried to break free from Francis in the first place, but he waited like a damsel in distress for his inevitable end. Will was ashamed for his weakness.

 

Hannibal wasn't sure how to continue, how to properly address their reunion. "I was angry, as ever, but I did not mean those words you heard. The witch reminded me how terrible a monster I am and I could not bear it, could not tolerate her meddling with something that can never be, but I would never wish you dead, not after...after everything." Hannibal gently rose to remove himself from the young prince's grasp. He didn't deserve this affection, rescue or none. He gathered his large travel cloak and set about making a bed for Will, trying hard not to think of the last time they had slept under it.

 

"From what I've heard you say, I was just a tool in your plan, wasn't I? A way for you to achieve your goal of breaking the curse. You manipulated me into falling in love with you and hoped that would break it somehow." The scorned prince was no longer asking questions, merely stating what he felt were facts. "But it didn't work, I don't hold the power to set you free, my love isn't enough to break the curse. So what will you do now? Find someone else and manipulate them to your liking? Perhaps a beautiful woman would do the trick...or a brave man, not a pathetic coward like myself." 

 

Will slowly stood up, his body sore from the fight, and waited for Hannibal to finish his sleeping arrangements. Without a word he collapsed onto the cloaks and blankets, fatigue hitting him hard now he was safe. He checked on his rescuer briefly, and supposed that Hannibal did not desire to have any contact with him whatsoever, that everything that might've been between them was now lost and forgotten.

 

Hannibal said nothing as Will admonished him. He was forced to see how cruel he had been, and it was a levelling experience. He went to where Will lay, his back turned away to protect his bruised emotions, and laid a supplicating hand gently on his side. "No, Will, I will resign myself to being suitable only for solitude." He said honestly, unsure until he spoke what he would say. "I do not deserve to be forgiven for what I said, despite my fury being misdirected, but I assure you I meant it not a bit. I see that now." He squeezed his fingers once, lightly on Will's body, but when no response came, he sighed and moved to prop himself against the nearby tree. 

 

He watched Will's resolute, sullen form for a bit - his slim back and his unruly curls a safe distance away - and hoped he might speak. Hannibal thought about how he had selfishly hurt the boy so much in their short time, and it pained him. "I don't want to hurt you when I transform in the night, that's all." Hannibal eventually said sadly, futilely, before drifting off without knowing if Will had heard or cared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok we promise the pain is over now...don't flame us please!


End file.
